How TV & Movie Moms Have Changed Over the Years

Last Updated: April 14, 2016

By
Shari's Berries

It's mom season. You know, cause Mother's Day is just around the corner. Which got us thinking about all the moms in our life, including the ones we've watched on TV and in the movies over the years. So we decided to see how much the mother figures in pop culture have changed. We selected 400 of the most popular movies and TV shows, then analyzed each decade and tracked by categories: occupation, marital status, role, family size, build and hairstyles. Check out the results of our mom-inspired research below.

It was common to see stay at home moms in the 1940s, as their primary duties were taking care of all the household and making sure kids got a delicious home cooked meal. Few such as Doris Walker in A Miracle on 34th Street stood out as a working mother. As the years went by, there was a rise in the amount of mothers who held jobs—and even those who owned their own business—while still maintaining a household.

There is one trend that hasn’t changed much: martial status. Although we started seeing more divorces in the 1970s (along with widowed and single mothers), it seems seeing a pair raise children is still very popular in TV today. Of course, it’s important to note that some of these moms’ marital status changed as the show or as the movie progressed.

Perhaps the most interesting data we came across was the changing roles of moms in TV and movies. While being a housewife remained popular in all of the decades, by the 2000s we saw a large number of full time lawyers, doctors, talk show hosts and some in the process of retiring. Let’s not forget that there were also witches, vampires, fugitives, which of course fall into the “other” category.

How many kids can a mom handle nowadays? It seems as though the years have stuck with one or two as the most popular. But in the 80s we had mothers with a lot more kids. Carla Tortelli in Cheers had eight, while Claire Huxtable had five and still held full-time jobs. Talk about a super mom!

It’s never a good idea to ask mom what her weight is, but thin was very popular in the 40s. As the decades went by, we saw a rise in average-sized women on TV that continues today. Cheers to curvy women! Our favorites include Good Times’s Florida Evans and Maria Portokalos from My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Have you ever dressed up as your favorite TV or movie character? If so, you’ll realize that one of the most important part of the costume is the hair. So many iconic characters are recognized for it: Marge Simpson, Peggy Bundy, Katie Bueller—the list is endless. As time goes by, we see more of a classic, long wavy look.

Treat Your Favorite Moms

Now that you’ve seen how TV and movie moms have changed, which character do you or your mom most identify with? One thing will always be true in every era: mothers are irreplaceable. So don’t forget celebrate yours with some delicious dipped treats.